The Silence
by Alelexzendra
Summary: One day, Zack Merrick from All Time Low returned home and found an unknown girl in his room. He didn't know he had fallen in love with her until she left him and he started dating other girls.
1. Chapter 1

"'Like a time bomb set into motion, we knew that we were destined to explode. And if I had to pull you out of the wreckage, you know I'm never gonna let you go…'

"Alright audience, this is one of the latest works by All Time Low!" The DJ spoke over the radio that Stella was listening to attentively at her desk. "Their latest album 'Dirty Work' will be out this week, so do be sure to grab yourself a copy!"

Although there was a leak on the web a while back, Stella had heard this song about a year ago when few people had heard it. Alex had invited her to one of All Time Low's jamming sessions and told her that he would like her comments about a new song.

"Baby, we're like a time bomb~ But I need it…" Alex sang into the microphone as he slowed down his pace, "wouldn't… have… it…." and sang the last 3 words "any… other… way…" in a rock-like way with hoarse voice and prolonged the word "way".

The room turned to a total silence immediately after he had finished singing. He calmed himself down a little, caught his breath and saw Stella. "Hey GUYS!" He yelled into the microphone, "Don't you guys think that the bass guitar sounded fucking awesome tonight?" while making a wink and directed his glance to Stella and Zack.

"COULDN'T AGREE MORE, BABY!" Jack shouted into the microphone in front of him. He then did a little jump, a turn-about while strumming guitar before continuing, "I WANNA HAVE HIM TONIGHT!"

"STICK TO ALEX, MAN! He's not into you!" Rian yelled from where he was sitting at. "Unless your name begins with an 'S'." Rian continued, hinting the person to be Stella.

"YEAH BABY. My name ends with an S unfortunately- Jackass." Jack mentioned.

Everyone couldn't help but laughed at what Jack had just said. How adorable is Jack!

While laughing, Zack took the guitar off his shoulder and walked down the raised platform. "Shut up people! The bassist of All Time Low is ALWAYS good!" He said as he walked towards Stella.

"WOOHOO! YEAHHHHH!" The rest of the members couldn't help but teased him by cheering and hooraying away. Rian heightened the whole atmosphere by hitting on the drums.

"Good at sex?" Jack whispered so loud that everyone in the room could hear.

Zack was blushed to the core at that time, his face and ears were as red as an apple. He stole a quick look at Stella, who was looking down and shying away, and then turned and said to his band members, "Oh man, stop it".

"I can't imagine a man with huge muscles blushing away like a little tomato!" Alex teased Zack by saying that out loud into the microphone. His teasing was further supported by Jack and Rian.

Zack took his towel from his bag and used it to wipe his face. "That's not blushing, you fuckers. Get that straight. It's because I've just finished playing the guitar". He tried to throw his towel at Alex but Alex was quick enough to shoo it.

"GIVE IT TO ME! I'LL LOVE HIS SWEAT!" Jack shouted and reached for the towel.

At this time, everyone could see Zack and Stella blushing away right off their faces.

With his heart pumping really fast, Zack pressed his lips and then said to Stella softly, "Hey, let's go. Ignore them". With that, he picked up his bag with his right hand and held on to Stella's hand with his left.

His gesture was followed by another round of cheering and teasing by the rest of the All Time Low members.

At last, Zack's ears were free from the teasing of his band mates. A sudden shyness rushed up to him when he realized that he was holding on to Stella's hand. Upon that realization, he let go of her hand immediately and said, "Oh, I'm so sorry". He took a deep breath.

There was awkward silence between them.

"Oh, so… Where shall we have dinner tonight?" Zack asked, trying to break the awkward silence between them. He then quickened his step a little and only stopped when Stella called him.

"Zack!" Stella said.

He stopped and turned to face her, but he quickly turned his glance away when their eyes met because he couldn't believe that he actually held her hand.

"Eh… Nothing. Let's go and have dinner." Stella said hesitantly, forcing a smile to Zack.

Zack could sense that something was wrong, but he knew he would never get anything out of Stella's mouth if he were to ask her right away then. Nevertheless, he caught up with Stella and asked.

"Hey, aren't we best friends? What's holding you back?" Zack nudged Stella.

Stella put her hand around Zack's muscular arm and said, "Nothing much. You will find out sooner, I promise."

He knew he could get nothing out of her mouth despite his urging. He stopped even though the suspense was killing him in every second that Stella chose to remain silence. Deep inside, he was really worried about her. Right not, even though they had known one another for so long, the situation just reminded him of how they met for the first time and of the time when they first started to get to know each other better: he felt unsure of what had happened or was happening. Again, like the past, he felt helpless.

The silence between them was magnified by the traffic of New York City.


	2. Chapter 2

The silence between them was magnified by the traffic of New York City. Holding on to Zack's arm, Stella recalled the day that eventually led her to meet Zack Merrick…

Both Zack and Stella were 19 years old when they first met each other. Growing up in an abusive environment had taught Stella to mistrust everyone she met. But, how can you ask yourself to believe that angels and kind souls exist when your dad vented his frustrations on you through violence and your mum cursed you all day and night and every word she told you was that she wished you dead? Manipulation and using others to achieve self's higher end was running in Stella's family, neighborhood and everywhere she was in. Unable to take the physical and verbal violence at home, Stella finally broke free from her home and ran away at the age of 17. She worked like a donkey in a restaurant as a waitress-cum-dishwasher-cum-cleaner. Her pay was extremely low and it was barely enough to get her by. A year and a half after she started working there, the restaurant was forced to close down due to financial difficulties. If it was not for whom she had met, she would probably be dead by now.

Nope, wrong guess: it was not Zachery Merrick!

It was his mother, Mrs. Merrick. When the restaurant closed down, Stella became jobless. She did not have much savings because her pay was really low. After delaying the rent for a month, the landlord chased Stella out of the apartment. Mrs. Merrick happened to walk past when the evil landlord was cursing and swearing away, as she threw Stella's belongings out of her house. She then saw an extremely skinny girl weeping away and begging the landlord to stop. After done with throwing Stella's stuff out, the landlord slammed the door loudly. Mrs. Merrick, a benevolent lady, was shocked at everything she had just witnessed. She could not help but felt pity for the skinny girl who was around the age of her son and daughter.

"What if that is my son or daughter?" She thought to herself. Gently, she went up to Stella and showed her concern. Initially, Stella was rather resisting to Mrs. Merrick's help and concern for no one in her life had ever cared about her, not even her family, much less a stranger. After much urging, Stella finally agreed to stay at Mrs. Merrick's house till she could get a place. Of course, Mrs. Merrick was not going to allow Stella to stay at her house for free. Stella must give a hand in cleaning the place and preparing meals. Stella agreed; it was right of her to do so. When she gets a job, she will have to pay Mrs. Merrick rental fee. After staying with the Merrick for less than 2 months, Stella felt love and warmth for the first time. There were the Merrick couple and their daughter. Stella was told of a Zack Merrick, but she had never met him. Although it was a really joyous thing to stay with and be around the Merrick, Stella could not help but wept in the middle of the night when she was all alone in her room. When she was all alone in the empty bedroom, she felt so lonely and depressed. Occasionally, nightmares of her past appeared in her sleep like flashbacks from a movie. Scared out of her wits, she would sit up on the bed and cry herself to sleep. The situation only improved when she found a new companion in the Merrick household.

She was shaken out of her thoughts and brought back to reality when she heard a loud honk. Before she could figure out what had happened, all that followed was Zack shouting at her, "HEY! WATCH OUT FOR CARS! What's wrong with you?"

She was not sure what actually took place the second before but all she knew was that she was already in the arms of Zack Merrick. Looking at Zack Merrick straight in the eyes was like attempting to discover a mystery to her. Little did Zack Merrick know that he had changed her outlook about life. Stella felt differently towards Zack as compared to other members of the Merrick household. She could not put such feelings in words. When she first met him, he was rather afraid of him. Yet, she realized that Zack is actually a very friendly person, just that he does not talk much. Whenever he got close to her, she could hear her heartbeat in her ears. She then looked at his sharp nose and wondered how that nose ring on his nose fall into its place so perfectly. To her, Zack Merrick is simply perfect. She longed to be in his arms during the cold nights, to hold his hands and explore the rest of the world, to stay up all night long just to talk about anything and everything, to—

"Stella? Stella, are you alright?" Zack asked, bringing Stella out of her fantasy world once again. Conscious of what she had done and how stupid she had probably looked, Stella shook herself free from Zack's embrace and took a few steps away from him. "Sorry, I guess I'm just a little tired."

She could not help but flustered when Zack looked straight into her eyes. She looked away when his eyes met hers and her heart was beating really fast. She does not know exactly why but she suspected that she had fallen for Zack Merrick unknowingly.

Zack was worried about Stella. She did not seem herself that night. She was extremely quiet. It was like the time when they first started getting to know each other. He thought she had gained her trust, opened up her world, but that night, it seemed that he had always been wrong about himself. Looking at Stella's profile, he recalled that incident that brought them together 3 years ago…

Due to some communication problems, All Time Low's UK tour 3 years ago was shortened by 2 days. Although the rest of the members and crew chose to remain in UK for some sight-seeing, Zack Merrick preferred his own bed. Also, he wanted to return home because his father's birthday was near and it had been long since he last saw his family. After long hours of flight, Zack finally arrived at his doorstep. It was 3 am in the night; the streets were empty and the neighbor's lights were off. His house was no exception. Passed the gate, Zack took out his keys, opened the door and entered that place that he longed to return to. He closed the door lightly and tiptoed his way up the stairs and to his room. He need not switch on the lights at all; every parts of the house were very familiar to him.

He opened his bedroom door gently and closed it in the same manner.

"Phew!" He let out a sigh of relief. He then threw his bag on the bed and took off his shirt in the dark.

"OUCH!" He heard a voice. Surprised, he reached for the switch with his right hand while holding on to his shirt with his left.

When the room was lighted, he saw a girl sitting on his bed. She was trying to get her eyes to get use to the sudden brightness in the room. Zack was a little shocked.

"Who the fuck are you and why are you doing in my bed?" Zack shouted sternly, perishing the possibility of his parents renting his room out since his family was not cash-strapped.

Stella was too shocked for words. That muscular guy with tattoos on his chest and arms reminded her too much of her father. She was frightened and began to tear.

At this point, Zack's father, mother and sister rushed into the room to see what happened. The family was delighted when they saw Zack standing at the door. They gave him a hug. After some introduction and explanation, the situation became clear to Zack and Stella.

"Zack…Zack… ZACK." Stella said repeatedly, getting louder each time she said it.

At the last call, Zack was brought out of his thoughts. He lowered his eyes and looked at Stella, "Yes?"

"Let's cross!" Stella said, grabbing Zack's hand as she started to move.

He felt a static when Stella grabbed his hand.


End file.
